Canepa leads race for San Mateo County assessor-clerk-recorder

“We’re optimistic about the results and so grateful to the voters of the county for their support but want to be sure every vote is counted,” Canepa said.

If Canepa maintains the lead, he would be leaving his seat on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and moving into an office across the courtyard at County Center in Redwood City. If Irizarry pulls ahead, he would take over for his boss, Mark Church, the current elected official who opted not to run for reelection. 

Shortly after the first batch of results were posted at 8:10 p.m., Irizarry said he was feeling “very positive and very enthusiastic about where we’re at,” but would not comment further until every ballot is counted. 

“That’s out of fairness to the voters who have taken the time to vote,” Irizarry said. 

The chief elections officer and assessor-county clerk-recorder leads a complicated and consolidated department. Canepa would take the department over as an outsider looking to reinvigorate an office, while Irizarry would lead an office he’s worked in for over 13 years. 

While Canepa looks to win a seat that would take him away from the Board of Supervisors representing District 5, the northernmost area in the county, his peers, supervisors Noelia Corzo and Ray Mueller, were reelected to serve another term. 

Corzo ran unopposed, but a write-in candidate and San Mateo resident, Taso Zografos, took 228 votes away from the incumbent. 

Corzo was first elected to the board in 2022; she just secured her second term. 

Mueller, who was also elected to the board for the first time in 2022, ran against former Half Moon Bay Mayor Joaquin Jimenez. Mueller earned 86.03% of the vote, with 13,509 total votes, according to semiofficial results from the San Mateo County Elections Office as of Tuesday night.

“I’m really honored and grateful to have been given the opportunity to keep working with my neighbors, especially at this time when the economy has taken such a turn to help people in our county,” Mueller said. “I’m overwhelmed by the margin and I feel just so much gratitude to keep doing this job that I love.”

Mueller said his door is open to all residents, including those who voted for his opponent, and he couldn’t get the work done without his staff and supporters. 

“Everything good in this county, I’ve learned, happens when we all work together,” Mueller said. “I’m glad the race is behind us so we can get back to work.” 

Although the Board of Supervisors will look the same for the remainder of the year, with Canepa’s likely exit, the Board of Supervisors dynamic will shift again. 

According to the county’s charter, the Board of Supervisors may appoint someone as Canepa’s successor or call a special election. 

The process to fill a vacancy left by a supervisor may commence as soon as an official letter of resignation is submitted, even if the effective date is deferred for months. This means if Canepa leaves the board and delivers a letter in an appropriate time, the board could consolidate the special election with the November general election, even if the vacancy occurs in January 2027. 

Incumbent County Controller Juan Raigoza, Coroner Robert Foucrault and Treasurer-Tax Collector Sandie Arnott all ran unopposed.

Further results will be posted at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 4; Friday, June 5; Monday, June 8; Wednesday, June 10; Friday, June 12; and Monday, June 15. The election is to be certified Thursday, July 2.